


This is just a simulation

by lyrawinter



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Dystopian Fiction, F/M, Loosely inspired by The Maze Runner movies, Petyr is inspired by Janson from The Maze Runner
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-15
Packaged: 2019-11-07 14:04:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17961977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lyrawinter/pseuds/lyrawinter
Summary: Remember, this is just a simulation.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This scene popped into my mind a couple of weeks ago. I hope you like it! :-)
> 
> A big thanks to petyrbaealish for beta-ing it and for being always so supportive <3

_Terrace of the laboratory. Top floor._

Sansa opened her eyes. She was dressed in a nightgown, but she wasn’t cold. Above her, the stars and the moon shone.

Above her, there was also one of the organization’s helicopters, its blades turning and turning and turning non-stop. Sansa knitted her brow, though she was used to the noise.

The helicopter was flying over the complex as every night, an intense spotlight moving between the different buildings: the gym, the laboratory, the academy and the two houses (one for the girls and the other for the boys). Boys and girls only got to see each other during some tests. It’s better this way, the organization had said. Fewer complications. 

They’d also said that the helicopters were used to guard the complex and alert about any possible danger, but Sansa had started to believe that they were used to prevent them from running away.

_You are safe here._

_We are your friends._

_The world outside is inhospitable._

Petyr had told them these things when they arrived, frightened and exhausted.

“Sansa.”

She blinked and turned her head. Petyr was on the roof, and he had his arm extended towards her, his palm upwards, inviting. Resting on the wall, there was a ladder.

“Come with me,” he said softly.

The roof was gabled. If she slipped, she could fall onto the terrace… or into the abyss. The ground must be more than one hundred feet away.

“Look at me,” he spoke again. “This is not real.” 

Sansa swallowed and lifted her chin. His eyes had a special sparkle. Was this anticipation?   
What was he expecting from this test? What did he want?

The corner of his lips turned up slightly and his gaze grew more intense.

“Remember, this is just a simulation. You can be as reckless as you want. You can do the things you wouldn’t dare to in real life. Once you wake up, whatever happened here will feel like a dream.”

_That’s not true_ , Sansa thought. _Because I’ll remember everything… And so will you._

The simulation was part of the tests the organization had created to assess the boys’ and girls’ abilities. But there was something different about this test, Sansa could feel it in her bones. Most of the other tests had consisted of physical exercises to measure their strength, speed, resistance, target practice and bravery: moving sand bags from one place to another, dragging themselves along the ground dodging obstacles, archery, races…

But this… It seemed as if the organization was trying to search inside them to find out their vulnerabilities and deepest desires.

Unlike the other exercises, this test was individual and consisted of having _just an individual conversation with Petyr._ Yes, those had been the exact words the organization had used.

They had made it sound as it was something totally harmless. Just a conversation with the person that had been friendly to them from the very beginning; the person that had tried to soothe them every time they had lost their nerves.

The organization had assured them that their bodies would be safely resting in the laboratory during the test, their vital signs monitored by several doctors and scientists.

_There won’t be any consequences from your actions because in truth, you won’t be doing anything. The events will just happen in your minds. We want you to have a moment of complete freedom to do as you please,_ they had told them.

They had made it sound as if it was a safe experiment.

Then why did Sansa have the feeling that this was the most dangerous challenge she’d faced since she lived there?

“Sweetling.” Petyr’s voice brought her back to reality.

What had he just called her? Sansa looked at him, confused. He was still offering his hand to her.

“Come. The view is breathtaking. This will likely be the only chance you’ll have to be here.”

He was probably right. The organization didn’t allow them to walk on the roofs.

_It’s time to be reckless. It’s time to let my subconscious guide my steps for once._ Sansa closed her eyes for a moment.

_This encounter wouldn’t matter in the morning._

Her own thoughts made her smile.

_Sometimes we tell pretty lies to comfort ourselves._

She took a deep breath. _You can do it._ One step. Another. She grabbed the ladder and placed one foot on it. Petyr nodded.

_You can do it._

She trembled when she finally held his hand. His skin was warm, and the contact made her feel safe, inexplicably. Petyr gave her a half-smile and brushed the back of her hand with his thumb. This was the first time they’d touched each other, and she found the experience pleasant. _This is just a simulation_ , Sansa reminded to herself. _It’s not real._

_Sadly._

“Look around, Sansa. Isn’t the world beautiful?”

Beautiful? Most of the world wasn’t habitable. That’s why the organization had built the complex: a microcosm for the survivors.

Petyr smiled as if he had guessed what she was thinking.

“Look around,” he repeated in a gentle tone. “Trust me.”

She turned her face a little reluctantly and let out a gasp.

He was right. She had expected to see a wasteland everywhere, but far away, in the horizon, there were mountains, and trees too. A forest. Life. Sansa blinked to hold back the tears.

“It’s not the landscape you were fearing to find, is it?” he asked kindly.

Sansa shook her head slowly, her expression cautious.

“Is it real?” she asked. “I mean. Is it how it looks in truth?” She had never seen the surroundings of the complex before, as she had arrived there unconscious.

“It is.”

Sansa swallowed, trying to erase the lump in her throat.

“Really?”

Petyr touched her shoulder.

“It is. I promise.” He lowered his voice. “The world is healing. It’s healing from The Disaster.”

Sansa covered her mouth to suppress a sob and startled when he wrapped his arms around her.

“It’s alright, sweetling. Allow yourself a moment to relieve your emotions. No one is watching us. The helicopter is just part of the simulation. Just an illusion. They cannot reach our minds. The machines are only monitoring our bodies.”

Sansa buried her face in his chest and cried. There was hope. They could leave if the vegetation continued growing and spreading; if the rain washed away all the filth The Disaster had caused.

Petyr caressed her hair in soothing movements until she calmed. She dried her tears and looked at him again.

“The simulation will be over soon, Sansa. If there’s something you’d like to do before waking up, now’s the moment. No one will know.”

“That’s not true,” she said. “You and I will know… And you and I will remember everything.”

He brushed her lips with his fingertips.

“Indeed. Our brains will preserve these memories. In a sense, for us it will be as if this encounter had happened in real life.” He looked her in the eye. “Is this a problem, Sansa? Would you prefer to sit and wait until you wake up? Whatever you decide, it will be alright.”

“No.”

“No?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I don’t want to just wait until I wake up in the laboratory.”

“Then, what do you want?”

She swallowed and placed her hands on his chest. She had never dared to admit it to herself, but she’d felt attracted to him since the first time they’d met, when he had showed her and the other girls their new house. Sansa had been watching him every day since then: mainly during their training sessions and some meals. Sansa wasn’t sure if she could trust him, not yet. The organization hid many secrets, and it was difficult to figure out their true intentions. But this was a simulation, and she wanted to allow herself to be reckless for once.

“I want to kiss you,” she said.

His voice sounded hoarse:

“Then, kiss me.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A little addition. A big thanks to petyrbaealish for beta-ing it! :-)

Sansa closed her eyes. _Don’t think. Not now._ Before her mind could process what was happening, her body was leaning forward.

And her lips were touching his.

Petyr made a low sound as if he had been craving this moment and wrapped his arms around her, he but didn’t take control. He didn’t bring her closer nor did he part her lips hungrily.

He had asked to be kissed. He must be expecting her to take the lead.

Suddenly, Sansa felt clumsy.

There was nothing Sansa wanted more in this instance than to let her emotions flow, to show Petyr how much she wanted him.

But her inexperience was paralyzing her.

She opened her mouth slightly and kissed his upper lip, hesitant.

Petyr pulled away.

There it was. He was disappointed. He had realized that she couldn’t be adventurous, not even in a simulation. Now he would tell her to sit down on the floor and wait until the scientists woke them up.

Sana had just missed the opportunity to be with him.

She tried to avoid his eyes. She couldn’t bear to see the displeasure on his face.

“Sansa, look at me.” He cupped her cheek in his hand, gently.

Sansa raised her eyes, the softness in his tone catching her off guard.

He continued: “There’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Do you really want this?”

“Yes,” she whispered.

“Then, just let yourself go. Do what you’re comfortable with. This should be a pleasant experience, not a nerve-wracking one.”

Sansa nodded. He held her hands and placed them on his chest again.

“Breath with me,” he murmured. “Slowly. Close your eyes. Inhale. Exhale. You are safe, Sansa. I promise.”

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Exhale.

Petyr’s heart was pumping steadily. Pum, pum. Pum, pum. Sansa’s fingertips caressed him through his turtleneck. It was an instinctive gesture, and he must have taken it as a sign to continue because his hand traveled down to her hip. Sansa shivered. He kissed her throat and whispered in her ear:

“Relax, my love, and allow yourself to feel.”

 

*

Sansa opened her eyes. An intermittent beep and the sound of air filled her ears. The fluorescent ceiling lights made her blink twice. She was lying on a soft surface, but her head was covered by something hard. _A helmet._ An elastic item was pressed against the upper part of her nose and her chin. _An oxygen mask._ Her breath hitched.

Where was she?

“The subject has woken up.” A male voice spoke on her left. A chair scraped against the floor. Whispers. Footsteps. A face leaned towards her, and Sansa could see part of a lab coat. “Breath, Ms. Stark.”

Sansa blinked again and inhaled deeply. The mist that clouded her mind began to dissipate. She was in the laboratory. The simulation must be over.

The simulation. Her heart raced as the memories flashed through her mind.

“Ms. Stark, I'm going to took off your oxygen mask. Alright?”

_The rooftop. The noise of the helicopter. The ladder._

_“Come with me.”_

“Ms. Stark. Do you understand me?” the scientist asked again.

Sansa brought herself back to the present. She nodded at him with difficulty.

“Very well.” The man took off her oxygen mask and gave her a few seconds before asking: “Do you know where you are?”

Sansa swallowed. Her throat felt scratchy.

“Yes,” she answered.

“Where?”

“In the laboratory. I've finished the simulation.”

“Correct.” The man reached under her chin and began to unfasten the straps of her helmet. Sansa let out a sigh in relief when he finally removed it. “Now sit up slowly and tell me how you feel.”

Sansa obeyed. The room was so large that she couldn't see the back. Tables, computers and grey metallic wardrobes spread out across the place.

“I feel a little dizzy.”

“That's a normal reaction and it should go away soon. Any other symptoms? Vision blurry? Pain?”

“No.”

“Excellent.” The scientist wrote down a few notes and then looked at her again. “You'll stay here for another hour just to make sure you're alright, and then you'll be able to leave.”

“Okay.”

“Try to get some rest in the meantime,” the scientist said, before walking away.

Sansa saw him approaching to another scientist who was typing on a computer. They exchanged a few words, but Sansa couldn't read their lips.

Hopefully everything would be okay.

She rested her back on the headrest but didn't close her eyes. She didn't want to take a nap. She probably couldn't anyway.

Who could relax in a place like this? You would have to be exhausted to fall asleep.

Her eyes wandered across the room. There seemed to be scientists everywhere. Some of them were seated. Others came and went across the room, pulling a cart with pipettes and test tubes. Sansa felt as if she were watching a projection until her eyes settled on someone sitting on another stretcher.

Petyr.

Her heart beat faster. Of course, he had to be there. They must have woken up at the same time. He looked a little pale, but probably Sansa was too. She hadn't had the chance to look at herself in a mirror.

Their eyes met. Despite the signs of tiredness on his face, he looked as handsome as always. His hair disheveled, the black turtleneck and the grey jacket. To her surprise, he stood up and started walking in her direction.

One of the scientists made a gesture as if he was going to tell Petyr to go back to his stretcher, but Petyr raised his hand and shook his head without stopping. The scientist looked annoyed, but he focused on his tasks again. Petyr didn’t turn his face. Had he been that sure that the scientist wouldn’t insist?

Sansa wasn't still certain who was in charge here. At first, she thought it was Petyr, but sometimes it seemed as if he were following instructions.

Petyr paused in front of her, and Sansa noticed a softness in his eyes. Was it real or was just her imagination?

“How are you feeling?” he asked in a gentle tone.

“Well.” Sansa glanced at the scientists, who were closer to them for a moment and then, she directed her gaze to Petyr again. “And you?”

“I've done several simulations by now. The disorientation and the sensation of dizziness when you wake up aren't very nice, right?”

“No, they aren't.” Sansa tilted her head, and the words spilled out from her mouth before she could stop them. “But you haven't answered my question, Petyr. Are you alright?”

_Gods. Since when she talked so freely with him?_

To her relief, he smiled, and his gesture seemed sincere.

“I'm alright, sweetling, don't worry.”

 _Sweetling._ The word brought the memories of the simulation back. Sansa blushed.

Petyr's gaze grew more intense, as if he was also remembering the moments they had shared in their minds. He leaned forward and brushed the back of her hand with his fingertips.

“May I?” he muttered.

Sansa nodded, although she didn’t know what he was going to do next. He stared into her eyes as if he wanted a confirmation that she was sure, and she nodded again.

He took her hand and turned her palm up gently. His thumb began to massage it in circular motions.

One, two, three, four.

Slowly. So slowly.

With each movement Sansa’s belly felt more and more ticklish. His gaze was so intoxicating that it made her forget where she was. She tightened her jaw in an attempt to not shiver.

She shouldn't feel this affected by his touch. She knew so.

But how could she control herself?

Suddenly, his thumb slid up to her wrist and pressed against her skin lightly. Sansa held her breath.

He was checking her pulse.

She swallowed, expecting him to mention how accelerated it was, how hard her heart must be pounding in her chest. However, Petyr remained silent. 

Sansa let out her breath.

His thumb began to move again, this time across her wrist. Up and down. Up and down. It almost seemed a reassuring gesture.

Sansa's eyes closed halfway. She shouldn't lower her guard, but his caresses felt so wonderful.

He was touching her, and this time it wasn't a simulation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed this. Thanks for reading!


End file.
